Damper for radiators



Jan. 23, 1951 F A, BALZER 2,539,293

DAMPER FOR RADIATORS Filed March 50, 1948 IN V EN TOR.

FP50 H. Sali/Q I..rrrlunuulnunlamuupa..

Patented Jan. 23, 1951 `DAMPER1FOR RADIATORS vFred A. Balzer,` Park- Ridge, Ill., assigner, bymesne assignments, to TheAVulcan RadiatonCmpany, Hartford,Conn.,r a corporation' of 'Connecticut :ApplicationMarch-S, 1948, Serial N 0. 17,859

(Cl. v98e-li0.)

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a 'damper for radiators and more particularly to a damper whichl .is intended primari-ly for vcovers of baseboard ,radiators, Vsuch as include a finned pipe having a cover mounted over and against the side of the radiator to provide .for circulation of 4air under said cover, through the spaces between the iins of the radiator, and through openings in thetop :oi said cover.

An object of thisinvention is `to provide a damperwhich maybe installed in the covers or such radiatorsto open and close4 the openings in the top thereof and thereby control the circulation of air through the radiator.

A further object of this invention is to provide a damper lwhich may be used in such covers for radiators of different sizes.

A still further lobject ofthe invention is to provide a damper `which may fbe Vconstructed of a certain size and which may be applied to such radiator covers having tops of different widths, so that the said dampers may be attachedto covers of radiators that are already installed without requiring special iittings and the like.

Further objects and advantages :of this invention will be more .clearly understood from'the following description and fromthe accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an end View, in vertical section, of a radiator embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevational front View of a portion of said radiator partly broken away to show the construction thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental end view of the top portion of a radiator cover of greater width than that illustrated in Fig. 1.

As shown in the drawings, the numeral 5 denotes a radiator of conventional form and comprising a suitable tubular conductor 6 having a plurality of ins 1 mounted thereon and in heat conducting relation therewith, so as to transfer heat from a heating medium circulating through the conductor 6.

Such radiators are usually mounted upon the baseboards along the walls of rooms and spaced above the floor thereof, indicated at In the embodiment illustrated, a back plate il vided between the radiator 5 and the baseboard. This plate extends along the back of the radiator and has a forwardly projecting portion it with an upwardly extending flange H upon which is supported a front plate I2 that extends downwardly and in front of the radiator 5 to a position above the floor 8, so as to permit air to is proenter under the `edge of said front plate f2, into the interior of the casing, and pass upwardly through the ns of'the lradiator and through suitable openings i3 in the top portion vI 4 ofsaid front` plate.

The present invention is particularly Vdirected to the `provision 'of a damper for opening and closing said openingsfto thereby control the .circulation ofdair ythrough the radiator. The said damper is ypreferably in the form illustrated wherein it comprises fa pair vof elongated strips, or plates, Iii- I which-are hinged together at ii'. The plate `iS-fis securedto the top portion it of the casing by nieansor"l hinge `members i8 which are secured yagainst the inner surface of said top portion in-any suitable manner and spaced as may-be desired in order to hingedly support the 'dam-per. Ata suitable position along the upperportion i4, the said Ytop portion :is slotted to-reoeive a handle 'I9 which is secured to the `plate I-E `and extendsl through the slot to permit manipulation of the damper to closed or opened position. An escutcheon pla-te V12S is preferably provided overthe top oflthe portion hi and has a Islot -Zi therein, conforming with the slot in the top` portion, through `which the handle 1l9- extends. The v'said vhandle has Joppositelye'xtending vear-s 22 'which rest upon the marginal portions of--said plateil, at'theopposite Asides of the slot '21,to support `the damper in adjusted position.

As shown in Fig. l the said damper is illustrated in closed position in full lines and in open position in dotted lines. When the damper is in open position and it is desired to move it to closed position, the handle I9 is grasped with the hand and moved downwardly in the slot 2i to any desired position up to its closed position. The weight of the damper applied upon the ears 22 to Contact with the top of the plate 2@ will retain the handle in any adjusted position by gravity. If desired, however, suitable means may be provided for frictionally retaining the handle in engagement with the plate so as to prevent movement of the damper from a position to which it is adjusted.

As illustrated in Fig. v3, it will be seen that the same damper that is used in a narrower radiator cover, as 'illustrated in Fig. l may also be `used in a wider cover Without special parts other than a longer handle I9a and a longer plate 2li-a. When the damper is applied to a narrower cover, it will close the air openings I3 when it is in a position illustrated in Fig. l, even though the said damper is not positioned close to the surface of the top portion I4. When the damper is used in a Wider cover, as illustrated in Fig. 3, it will close the openings therein when the damper is nearer to the surface or the portion l-a. 1t will be understood, therefore, that my improved damper may be constructed of a standard size and installed on radiators already in use regardless of the width of the covers of said radiator.Y In other words, my improved damper is self-adaptable to radiator covers of dilerent sizes and my invention thereby provides a valuable advantage since it permits the installation of dampers on radiators that are already in use without requiring new covers or casings for such radiators, or

the return of their casings to the factories forv installation of the dampers.

I claim:

1. A radiator of the character described comprising a heat exchange device having a casing mounted thereover, the said casing comprising a cover member having an upper portion with openings therein to permit circulation of air therethrough and a front wall spaced from the floor, a damper including a pair of elongated plates hinged together, one or" said plates being also hinged in xed position to the under side of said top portion adjacent to said openings, the other of said plates being movable to open or closed position relatively to said openings and having a handle operable from the exterior of said upper supported over said heat exchange device and L including a cover having an upper portion with openings therein to permit circulatio-n of air through said device and a front wall having a bottom opening, a damper including a pair of elongated plates hinged together, the first of said plates being hingedly mounted t0 the under side of said cover along and adjacent said openings and gravitally depending from said under side, the other of said plates being hinged to the free edge portion of the rst plate and movably connected to said upper portion with the free edge thereof adjacent the under side of said portion, a handle on said other plate projecting through a slot in said upper portion, and lateral extensions on said handle to engage the marginal portions of said slot to permit operation of said damper and retain it in adjusted open or closed positions relatively t0 said openings.

3. For a radiator of the character described comprising a heat exchange unit including a tubular conductor having a plurality of spaced iins thereon, a casing for said unit including a cover member having an angular upper portion and a front wall, the said upper portion having groups of openings therethrough and the iront wall be ing spaced from the floor to permit circulation of air through said casing, and a damper for opening and closing said openings, said damper including spaced hinged members secured to the under side of said upper portion along said openings, a nrst elongated plate supported by said hinged members and depending downwardly therefrom, a second elongated plate secured to the free edge portion of the rst elongated plate, an escutcheon plate mounted upon said upper portion, a handle extending from the free edge of said second eongated plate through aligned slots running transversely through said upper portion and through said escutcheon plate, and lateral projections on Said handle resting on the marginal portions of said escutcheon plate at the opposite sides of the Slo-t therein to movably support the free edge of said second elongated damper plate adjacent to the under side of the said upper portion.

FRED A. BALZER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 674,915 Giarth May 28, 1901 996,581 Gschwind June 27, 1911 1,449,072 Stearns Mar. 20, 1923 2,138,180 Lehmkuhl Nov. 29, 1938 2,246,338 'Ashley June 17, 1941 2,250,330 Eastwood et al July 22, 1941 

